BioWare Exec "Blown Away" By Support for Mass Effect's FemShep

[BlindChance]

Aside from her voice annoying me by sounding terible, she also managed to sound completely bland. I saw more emotion in male sheps voice then hers.

I'm just staggered. This clip serves as a decent example [http://youtu.be/-_WGLCnz6zY]; I'd have used the 'I Remember Me' quest as the clearest cut difference, but it works. Notice the different inflections she uses: Good points of difference include the way she stresses the word 'conduit' to steel her voice slightly, the way she stresses the word 'step' in "step up" and slows her speech on "what humans are made of".

She changes some of the dialogue at the end (I'd bet she went off script; Meer's dialogue matches the tone of the rest more exactly), so we can't directly compare there, but I will note in her final line, notice how she drops her voice from her 'speech tone' to instead make it personal: She's reflecting a lot of inward fear outward there, a sense of worry that she might not be up to the task. Very nice.

Can you go over that dialogue and tell me the inverse? Where does Meer hit those kind of notes? I know we're picking out one scene here, so if you have a better example, please, hit me up with it. I want to understand your position.

Edit: This video also gets the differences across in ME2 [http://youtu.be/Ka57odVXldw], and again, it's pretty consistent. I didn't mind Meer in ME2, but it's really clear he's going for a much more professional, military tone. Arguments that Hale over-emoted sound reasonable to me, I didn't get that but I see where that's coming from. But the idea that she was more bland than Meers is insane to me. It's just not there in the actual game: Hale varies her tone more, inflects more, and goes for higher emotional ranges. That may or may not be the right choice; I've heard good solid defences of Meers' work. But Hale is not more bland than him.

 

[Oro44]

If the player has the choice to be male or female Shepard, it stands to reason that there be a marketing campaign for both in order to appeal to all their fanbase. Its not a matter of what gender is better, its just good marketing sense.

 

[CleverCover]

Kind of late to the party guys. At least you figured this out before the end of the third game.
Oh well, I know the only true Savior of the Citadel is a FemShep.

That whole Shepard being a dude nonsense is totally somebody's awkward fanfiction idea.
Or one of those alternate reality things.

 

[Bribase]

For me Shepard always has been and always will be female. I've heard very little of male Sheps voice so all I can say is that I found Jennifer Hale's voice acting very compelling.

 

[BlindChance]

FemShep is dull.

Don't understand why there is all the criticism against Mark Meer as his portrayal is much more varied than Hale's droll, dry tone.

At the end of the day I think it just comes down to a fanbase of guys wanting to roleplay as tough as nails girls (in space).

Since This Isnt My Name has bowed out of actually defending his position, I'll try you then. Look at my above post [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/jump/7.301480.12031818]: Please explain to me how Meer is 'more varied'. Is it that those clips above don't portray the scenes you're thinking of? Is it something I'm missing? I am happy to entertain arguments that Hale over-emoted, but it just seems emphatically false to me that she's blander or less varied. Her readings consistently feature better intonation, more varied tempo of delivery, and more use of stressing and emphasis.

Explain to me what I'm missing.

ps. I think the 'tough as nails girls (in space)' bit is a part of the appeal, actually; you're at least a little right there.

 

[BlindChance]

I think both performances have their strengths and weaknesses, but I find that Mark Meer's performance was just plain more consistent. Some of the lines that Jennifer Hale said got delivered perfectly... and some of them sounded like she was asleep. When you're trying to talk down some crazy-ass krogan, you should not (in fact) sound bored.

Aha! OK, thank you: Someone who actually cites a scene.

And actually, yeah, I'm in agreement there. Her tone on that scene wobbles: I see what she's going for (slow, calm voice) but she doesn't quite nail the urgency needed. She gets it at points though; pay attention to how she says, "is that what you want for your people?" I'm not as critical as you with it, and I still think saying her performance overall was more bland than Meer is flatly untrue, but I see where you're coming from. Thank you.

 

[Podunk]

I can't read Silverman's comments as anything other than a slight to Brink. "We want to give you full choices, because we care. Unlike certain other shitty games with customization that came out recently." Buuuuuurn.

Of course, that is purely inference on my part and likely has no factual basis.

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

That's advertising, not canon. Marketing has nothing to do with story.

The project directors signed off on the cinematic and marketing ideas. If they didn't want manShep to be canon, then there would be alternate intros for each gender.

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

Because (marketing) people are convinced that male action heroes sell better than female ones?

Its not the 80's or early 90's anymore. Sex sells, and what sells better to the average gamer (who is believed to be early teen males) than an attractive female?

 

[Danceofmasks]

Because (marketing) people are convinced that male action heroes sell better than female ones?

Its not the 80's or early 90's anymore. Sex sells, and what sells better to the average gamer (who is believed to be early teen males) than an attractive female?

It's not reflected by sales figures, that's why.
Afaik, there are only 2 exceptions: metroid and tomb raider.

Everything else is in the "not profitable enough to push" category.

 

[BlindChance]

It's not reflected by sales figures, that's why.
Afaik, there are only 2 exceptions: metroid and tomb raider.

Everything else is in the "not profitable enough to push" category.

Sadly, Danceofmasks has it. Female leads have historically lowered sales.

This is why, for example, Portal 1 and 2 do not feature Chell on their front cover.

 

[Clonekiller]

Go Femshep. Course, having open romance options sounds great and all. The question is whether or not the decision is based on offering new choices, or simply taking a lazy approach by making all romances available regardless of gender, simply to cut down on script and coding time. Example: In DA1, each possible romance was tailored based on gender, whether homosexual or not. In DA2, regardless of gender, the dialogue was the same. Guess we'll see which option the ME3 team goes with. Is homosexual options a choice they want to add depth to the game, or is it simply a loophole they can use to cut down on work and cost, while saving face by appealing to the "progressive" crowd.

 

[silver1881]

That's advertising, not canon. Marketing has nothing to do with story.

The project directors signed off on the cinematic and marketing ideas. If they didn't want manShep to be canon, then there would be alternate intros for each gender.

The only things that should count as canon are things that appear in the games themselves, or supplementary material such as the books or comics. They've been very careful to avoid any mention of Shepard's gender or any distinguishing characteristics in everything except the ads.

 

[Tien Shen]

I really tried doing a MaleShep playthrough but I find Mark Meer's delivery quite deadpan. Not sure why cause Mark's a good VA, he did the elf gigolo in DA2. I have 6 FemShep playthroughs by the way, and am quite thrilled at the news that the CE will have FemShep on one side of the disc box.

Also the whole,"confuse the audience" excuse with regards to marketing FemShep has always struck me as quite odd. I didn't know I could play a female character in ME till I installed and booted it up. If anything I think more people would buy ME games if they marketed FemShep more, gamers aren't stupid but apparently developer think so.

 

[violent_quiche]

About time. I have a male and female Shepard and the ME3 play through will definitely be ladies first.

 

[Kelethor]

Wait, Femshep was Also bastilla? thats pretty cool!

But Im afraid that my Shepard is a man. he's like captain Kirk. he likes his women blue and/or juggly.

 

[BlindChance]

Wait, Femshep was Also bastilla? thats pretty cool!

But Im afraid that my Shepard is a man. he's like captain Kirk. he likes his women blue and/or juggly.

You mean, like, Jenny Jaeger [http://www.juggling.org/fame/jaeger/index.html]?

(Sorry, sorry. Lame joke. OK, let's up the content a bit here.)

A serious point: I just want to make it clear -- I like Meer's performance in ME2. He was good in it. It's only ME1 where I feel he was as flat as a board.

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

The only things that should count as canon are things that appear in the games themselves, or supplementary material such as the books or comics. They've been very careful to avoid any mention of Shepard's gender or any distinguishing characteristics in everything except the ads.

Yeah, but them continuing to use a male in the advertisements isn't exactly debunking the theory that manShep is canonShep.

 

[silver1881]

The only things that should count as canon are things that appear in the games themselves, or supplementary material such as the books or comics. They've been very careful to avoid any mention of Shepard's gender or any distinguishing characteristics in everything except the ads.

Yeah, but them continuing to use a male in the advertisements isn't exactly debunking the theory that manShep is canonShep.

There is no CanonShep. Shepard is whoever the individual player wants them to be.